


Seeking a Happy Place

by sir_kingsley



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Puppies, Stress Relief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 09:04:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9812447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_kingsley/pseuds/sir_kingsley
Summary: When exams get to Castiel, Dean takes his friend somewhere to destress.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt fill on Tumblr for bennylaffite :)

It was a shit day, okay?

He woke up exactly 42 minutes late, his phone hadn’t charged over the night, the 10-page rhetoric essay that was due in — _fuck_ , fourteen hours —was barely half finished, he missed the last bus and it was raining. Of course it was fucking raining.

Castiel springs through puddles, backpack hugged to his chest because he forgot his umbrella and the last thing he needs are his laptop and school books getting soaked.

He chances a look at his phone, barely clinging to 8% of life, and the clock tells him with little sympathy that it’s 9:00 a.m. He’s late.

It takes another four minutes to reach the academic hall and he barrels through a gaggle of associate professors and onto slippery linoleum.

The classroom door sings the most pitiful announcement of his presence, making Cas cringe and drawing seventeen pairs of eyes. Cas meets one particular pair, glazed with a mix of humor and concern and Cas grimaces in response, trying to discreetly lower himself into the desk closest to the door.

“Rough morning, Castiel?” Dr. Harvelle asks, eyes going back to her sheet of notes.

Cas sighs, too shaken to take the barb in stride. He stares down at the beige tabletop of his desk. “Yes, ma’am.”

Dr. Harvelle calls the class back to order and Cas breathes easier with every eye that leaves him. But he can still feel one gaze and refuses to look up again because he doesn’t want to talk about it. He just gets his laptop out, opens a blank Word document, and tries to speedily type up all the notes projected on the white board. 

He’s just finished the slide when a text alert pops into the right corner of the screen. 

**Dean: Are you okay?**

A hundred answers come to mind but Cas doesn’t have the energy to lie or tell the truth.

**Cas: Why do you ask?**

Ah, deflection. 

**Dean: Because you’re wearing two different shoes.**

Cas’s head whips down and, sure enough, he has one white sneaker and one red.

He straightens and stares ahead blankly for a moment before leaning back in complete defeat. He doesn’t hear another word Dr. Harvelle says for the rest of the hour.

He barely notices the screech of desks movings and books dropping into backpacks much later until two hands slap loudly on the desk in front of him.

His head snaps up and the same worried green eyes squint at him. “Man, you’re really out of it today,” Dean says.

Cas huffs and climbs out of the desk. “That wasn’t necessary, Dean,” he says weakly. 

“I said your name like five times, dude. It was necessary. What’s going on?”

Cas is reaching for his backpack when it’s yanked out of his reach, placed safely over Dean’s shoulder. He wants to protest but it wilts under the gravity of Dean’s stare.

“Cas. What’s going on?” he repeats, voice colored with concern and no room for argument. 

_I’m fine_ are the words working the tip of Cas’s tongue. _Always I’m fine._

He opens his mouth and closes it, looks around the classroom that’s empty of everyone but Dr. Harvelle and the truth scratches it’s way up his throat.

“I-I just- I don’t _know_ ,” comes his whisper and he meets Dean’s eyes, feeling almost wild like. There’s a pressure rising in his head and he’s shaking and all he can do is shrug as Dean frowns in confusion. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. I’m so _tired_ but I can’t sleep because there-there’s so much and I-I can’t- I can’t…”

Dean’s hand comes to rest on Cas’s shoulder, giving him an empathetic squeeze and Cas is grateful because if he keeps going he’ll combust. Then Dean’s hand is falling to capture Cas’s and they’re moving. 

“Wh-where are we going?” Cas sniffles, trailing after his friend.

“Somewhere that will make you happy,” Dean says confidently. 

“But I have another class in an hour!”

Dean casts a glance over his shoulder. “Does it take attendance?”

Cas ducks his head. “No.”

“Then you’re skipping.”

There is no further argument as Dean leads Cas across campus and to the garage where he keeps Baby. They don’t speak as Dean drives them through town, far from the university and their normal hang-outs.

Then they’re parking and Cas finally looks up, breath catching at the sign over the little blue building. He looks to Dean who just smiles and climbs out of the Impala. 

It’s warm inside and loud with choruses of yips and barks and little mewls.

Dean walks straight to the front desk and smiles at the red-haired receptionist. “Hello. My friend here is in dire need of some puppy love.”

The woman leans to give Cas an appraising look. “Dead week?” she asks.

“Dead week,” Dean confirms. 

“Follow me.”

They’re led back to the kennel and Cas is dumbstruck as they pass a row of dogs until he’s being seated in a stall and then there’s a Cocker Spaniel in his lap.

The little ball of fur burrows into Cas’s stomach before climbing up his chest to sniff at his neck and lick his ears. Cas holds it carefully as it continues to scramble up his shoulders and bite at his hair.

“Hey, Arwen, chill dude,” the receptionist says as she gently eases the puppy’s mouth away from Cas’s head. “Sorry, she’s a hair puller.”

But Cas just smiles and nuzzles the pup’s little face. “It’s okay.”

“Arwen?” Dean asks, a little incredulous. 

She shrugs. “She has the beauty of Liv Tyler. I mean, look at that face.”

“It is a striking resemblance,” Cas says and then sputters because the puppy is trying to bite his lip. He laughs.

“You got an Aragorn in here?”

The receptionist’s smile is smug and twenty seconds later Dean has a German Sheppard trying to eat his face. 

They play with the entire cast because the receptionist —Charlie, they learn — might be the biggest LOTR nerd they’ve ever encountered. There’s one pair that really steal Cas’s heart: a Bulldog named Gimli and a Samoyed named Legolas who wrestle until they collapse on one another for a nap.

Cas’s stomach hurts from laughing and he’s almost lightheaded, stroking Pippin’s back as the Dachshund snores in his lap.

“Feel better?” Dean asks, rubbing Boromir’s belly.

Cas looks up and he beams. “Much.”

“’Thank you for being such an amazing and caring and sweet friend, Dean. I’m so lucky to have met you,’” Dean says, voice so low he’s practically growling.

 

Cas tilts his head. “Was that supposed to be me?”

Dean clears his throat. “How do you talk like that man? Almost pulled a vocal cord.”

Cas stretches a leg carefully to nudge Dean’s knee. Dean gestures down at his lap, affronted. “Come on, Cas, show a little respect for the future king of Gondor. He’s tired, man.”

“Thank you for being such an amazing and caring and sweet friend, Dean,” Cas says with a sincere smile. “I’m so lucky to have met you.”

Dean sputters and avoids Cas’s eyes, giving a noncommittal shrug and a grunt. “’s not a big deal.”

Cas predicted this response and he shifts Pippin up so he can scoot across the stall until he’s right in front of Dean. “But it is. And it should be repaid.”

“I don’t think offering to go over all my papers due next week would be the best thing for you right now,” Dean says, arching his brows. 

“I wasn’t going to offer to do that. I was thinking dinner-”

“Well you sure as hell better not cook me something because I’m still recovering from that spaghetti two months ago.”

Cas swats at his friend’s knee, careful not to disturb the sleeping puppy. “I said I was sorry for that!”

“Tell that to my digestive system-”

“Stop distracting me so I can ask you out, you insufferable assbutt!”

Dean’s eyes snap to attention and he looks bewildered. “Y-you want to ask me out? Like on a date?”

“If you stop making fun of me long enough to,” Cas says, laughter in his voice.

“Okay.” Dean’s lips meld together.

Cas sucks in a deep breath, opening his eyes to meet Dean’s. “Dean. Would you like to get dinner with my some time?”

“As a date?” Dean clarifies.

“As a date.”

His smile is soft and he’s looking away again but it’s not awkward. He almost looks…flattered. “Okay,” he agrees and Cas hears angels singing.

“Great.”

They sit silently for a few moments, just reveling in the sweet shift between them. 

“Should we put these puppies back and make it lunch instead of dinner?” Dean asks. “Because I don’t know about you, but I haven’t eaten today.”

The second Dean says it, Cas’s stomach grumbles. “That sounds like a great plan.”

They call Charlie back in and hand her the puppies after a few more lingering cuddles. Charlie leads them back up front and invites them to come back any time.

“Hey, dude, you know you’re wearing two different shoes right?” she calls after them as they approach the exit.

Dean stifles a laugh and Cas rolls his eyes before taking Dean’s hand in his, turning Dean’s chuckles into a gasp. He smiles. 

“Yeah, I know.”


End file.
